General process for converting an alcoholic hydroxyl group to an iodide group so for reported includes the following ones.RCH2OH→(RCH2O)3P→RCH2I  (1)
In these series of reactions, phosphorus is initially used to produce trialkyl phosphite, which is then allowed to react with an iodine through an iodination reaction in the absence of a solvent at such a low reaction temperature as about 70° C. The process is industrially distinguished, but use of poisonous phosphorus, which is generally hard to handle, and also use of iodine make it difficult to select materials of reactor vessels, and hard to conduct mass production.
Non-Patent Literature 1: Org. Syn. II, 322-323, 399-403(1943)RCH2OH→RCH2OSO2R′→RCH2I  (2)
In these series of reactions, reaction with R′SO2X is initially carried out, where not only a trapping agent (amine, etc.) is required for removing hydrogen halide produced during the sulfonic acid estrification reaction, but also potassium iodide is required for reaction of the resulting sulfonic acid ester; thus the process must be carried out in two steps, further requiring treatment of ammonium salt resulting from the reaction of hydrogen halide with amine, thus the process is industrially unpreferable.
Non-Patent Literature 2: J. Fluorine Chem. 93 107-115(1999)RCH2OH→RCH2OSiR′3→RCH2I  (3)
The process comprises two steps of reactions, i.e. reaction with R′3SiX and reaction with KI, and has a relatively high yield and a possibility of so-called one-pot synthesis, as industrial merits, but has such a demerit as causing a large amounts of hard-to-treat silicone-containing aqueous waste liquor.
Non-Patent Literature 3: Tetrahedron Letters 35, 1941-1944(1994)RCH2OH→RCH2I  (4)
The process has a possibility of so-called one-pot synthesis, where available reagents are phosphoric acid anhydride and alkali metal iodide, and thus has industrial merits, but yield is as low as about 70%. That is, a higher yield is still desired for the industrial scale production.
Non-Patent Literature 4: J. Org. Chem. 49 2361-2368(1984)
The group R in the compounds having an alcoholic hydroxyl group as used in these reactions (1)-(4) is an alkyl group or a perfluoroalkyl group, and there have been so far no examples showing use of fluoropolyetheralkyl group. Furthermore, iodine-containing fluoropolyethers represented by the following general formula [I] so far reported:RfO[CF(CF3)CF2O]mCF(CF3)(CH2)nI  [I]have been limited to perfluoropolyetheralkylethyl iodides up to n=2, and there have been so far no examples reporting perfluoropolyetheralkylalkyl iodide of n≧3.
Patent Literature 1: JP-A-6-16586
Patent Literature 2: JP-A-5-331089